Men charged with ‘attacking’ sportive

Alleged offenders to face justice

T wo men, who allegedly attacked riders during a sportive event in the Scottish Borders, have been charged by police.

Police Scotland said that a 60-year-old and a 71-year-old man have been charged in connection with an incident that occurred on the closed roads of the Tour O The Borders sportive on September 3 last year, the BBC reported.

Police have passed the case on to the Procurator Fiscal, the public prosecutor.

Reports from riders alleged that two men were accosting cyclists with long sticks in protest at the roads being closed for the event.

The incident happened around 25 kilometres into the ride, south of Broughton, Tweeddale.

A short message on the Tour O The Borders sportive Facebook page read: “We’re glad to see that those [allegedly] responsible for last year’s incident are now facing the consequences.”

At the time of the incident, the event organiser said: “What happened was very dangerous and the police want to prosecute those responsible, who are a disgrace to the Borders.

“This has always been an extremely friendly event and we are proud of the warm welcome given to cyclists.”

This year’s Tour O The Borders sportive takes place on Sunday, September 2, starting and finishing in Peebles.

In a further judicial development last week, a lorry driver from Yorkshire was sentenced to six months in prison after driving into and killing a cyclist that he “failed to see” while speeding, despite the cyclist having been visible to him for 13 seconds prior to the collision.

Cyclist Ian Milner was knocked off his bike and killed by Kieron Taylor, who was driving his 7.5 tonne HGV just over the 50mph limit on the B5123 north of Driffield in November 2016.

Mr Milner was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, with Taylor telling police that he hadn’t seen the cyclist, despite Mr Milner, who was wearing a bright turquoise helmet and jersey, having been in his line of vision for 13 seconds prior to the collision on a straight section of road.

Taylor, who lives in Bridlington, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and was sentenced to six months in prison.